Coaxial relay



3, 1959 I J. M. SAUSSER 2,911,498

COAXIAL RELAY Filed Jan. 17, 1958 [Ill NI INVENTOR vow/v M- SAL/5552, DECEASED CL 434 NM snussee, ADM/47577811 TE/X ATTORNEY United States Patent This invention relates to relays which are adapted to be connected directly to coaxial transmission lines. In

particular, the invention relates to means for actuating the moving contacts in such relays.

The principal object of the invention is to improve the operation of the coaxial relays of the type described in United States Patent 2,584,901 by means which increase the contact pressure during periods when the electromag netic coil of the relay is not energized.

The invention will be described in connection with the drawing in which:

Fig. 1 shows a plan view of a coaxial relay incorporating the invention, parts being broken away to show the interior construction and Fig. 2 shows a front elevation of the same relay with parts'broken away to show a different aspect of the interior construction.

' Coaxial relays of the type with which this invention is concerned are based on a T-shaped coaxial conductor configuration with the three outer ends provided with coaxial connectors. The inner conductors of two of the coaxial arms extend toward the center of the structure but which, when energized with electric current, attracts an armature. The armature, in turn, is connected to a plunger that extends inside the coaxial structure and interlocks withthe flexible member. As the plunger moves with the armature, it forces the contact means at one end of the flexible member firmly into contact with the center conductor of one of the other'branches. When the coil is not energized, a spring external to the coaxial structurepulls the armature and plunger in the opposite direction 'so that the contact means connects firmly with the internal conductor of. the remaining branch. By virtue of this external spring it is not necessary to preset the flexible member to bias it against one of the center conductors. Instead, the much larger force of the external spring is used to bias both the armature and the flexible member, thereby providing a considerable increase in the mechanical pressurebetween the contact means at the end of the flexible member and the end of one of the external conductors. This greatly reduces the possibility that vibration of the entire relay will cause this connection to be broken prior to .the time the relay coil is energized.

Fig. 1 shows a coaxial relay with a T-shaped coaxial structure comprising a pair of opposite coaxial branches 11 and 12 having center conductors 13 and 14, respectively. Theithird branch 16 of the T-shaped structure has an inner conductor 17 in the form of a flexible conductive reed, one end of which is movable and carries contacts 18 and 19 to connect respectively withthe ends Patented Nov. 3, 1959 of conductors 13 and 14. It will be recognized that while the coaxial structure is in the form of a T in this particular embodiment, it is not necessary that branches 11 and 12 point directly at each other. Any configuration in which the free end of the flexible member 17 could swing so as to make contact alternately with-the ends of the internal coaxial conductors 13 and 14 would be the equivalent of a T-shaped configuration.

A relay structure is provided to move the flexible member 17. This relay structure consists of a relay coil 21 provided with a pair of terminals 22 and 23, a U-shaped magnetizable core structure 24 inserted through the opening in coil 21, and an armature 26. The armature is pivoted about one end 27 of core .24 and is biased away from the other end 28 by a spring 29. The armature 26 is also connected to a non-conductive plunger 31 which extends through the outer wall of branch 16 and is interlocked with the flexible member .17 therein. Because of the interlocking relationship between the plunger 31 and the flexible member 17, the latter is biased so as to make a firm connection between contact 19 and the end of conductor 14, thereby completing a coaxial path from branch 12 to branch 16.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the structure in Fig. 1 and shows one form of interlocking connection between the flexible member 17 and the plunger 31. Member 17 has aperture 32, the round part of which is large enough to allow the plunger 31 to slide through during assembly of the relay. Immediately behind the end of plunger 31 is a slot which is small enough to slide into the narrow part of aperture 32, thereby preventing the end of plunger 31 from being withdrawn from engagement with the flexible conductor 17. Thus the plunger can exert force on the flexible conductor in both directions. When the coil 21 is energized, the plunger pushes the flexible member firmly into connection with the end of conductor 13; and when energizing current is withdrawn from coil 21, plunger 31 pulls the flexible conductor 17 firmly into connection with the end of the conductor 14.

While the plunger 31 is at a right angle to armature 26 and the coil 21 encircles branch 16 of the coaxial structure as well as the central section of core 24, the inventionwould work equally well with an electro-mechanical section in which these elements were dilferently arranged. For example, armature 26 could be a straight extension of plunger 31 and coil 21 could be concentric therewith. Other modifications in both the electro-mechanical section and the coaxial section within the scope of the following claims will readily occur to those skilled in the art.

What is claimed is:

1. A coaxial relay comprising a coaxial structure having three branches terminating in coaxial connectors, a first and a second one of said branches each having an outer conductor and a center conductor with said outer conductors being electrically connected together with said center conductors being separated from each other, a third one of said branches having an outer conductor electrically connected to the outer conductor of said first and second branches and having a center conductor in the form of a flexible member freely movable at one end, the other end of said flexible member being rigidly connected to said outer conductor of said third branch by a coupling unit which provides means to permit longitudinal movement of said flexible member towards said conductors while said coupling unit is being assembled, said freely movable end having contact means to connect alternately with the center conductor of said first and second branches, an electromagnetic structure comprising an electromagnetic coil, a magnetizable movable armature magnetically linked to said coil to be energized by the magnetic field produced therein, a spring external to said coaxial structure to bias said armature to one r V t 3 end. of its movement, a parallel-sided plunger aflixed to said armature to be moved thereby and interlocked with said flexible member to move said freely movable end in accordance with the movement of said armature, a groove in the end of said parallel-sided plunger interlocked with said flexible member, a slot in the movable end of said flexible connector, one portion of said slot being constructed and arranged to be engaged by said groove in said parallel-sided plunger when said flexible member is rigidly connected to said third outer conductor, and another portion of said slot extending from said one portion in the direction of said longitudinal movement of said flexible member being cut out to a size larger than the grooved end of said parallel-sided plunger to permit said grooved end to pass through said flexible connector and subsequently to engage said flexible conductor adjacent said slot when said flexible connector is moved longitudinally towards said first and second center conductors prior to connection to said third outer conductor.

2. A coaxial relay comprising a first coaxial branch having rigid outer metallic walls and a flexible center metallic member fixedly mechanically connected to said outer walls near one end thereof and electrically insulated therefrom, the other end of said flexible member being movable in a limited path to provide a movable contact means, a second branch comprising an outer conductor electrically common with the outer conductor of said first branch and a center conductor extending toward said movable contact means on one side of said flexible member, a third branch comprising an outer conductor electrically common with the outer conductor of said first branch and a center conductor extending in the direction of said movable contact means on the opposite side thereof from the center conductor of said second branch, means to move said flexible member so that said movable contact means connects alternately with the end of the center conductor of said second branch and the end of the center conductor of said third branch, said means to move said flexible member comprising a parallel-sided plunger interlocked with said flexible member to apply both pushing and pulling force thereto, theother end of said flexible member being rigidly connected to said outer conductor of said first branch by a coupling unit which provides means to permit longitudinal movement of said flexible member towards said second and third branch center conductors while said coupling unit is being assembled, a relay armature aflixed to said parallel-sided plunger, spring biasing means to bias said armature to a predetermined position so as to apply force through said parallel-sided plunger to said flexible member to force said movable contact means thereon into firm connection with the end of said center conductor of said second branch, an electro-magnetic coil located adjacent said armature to induce a magnetic field therein to move said armature and said parallel-sided plunger so as to force said movable contact means on said flexible member away from said second branch and into firm contact with the end ofthe center conductor of said third branch, a groove in the end of said parallel-sided plunger interlocked with said flexible member, a slot in the movable end of said flexible connector, one portion of said slot being constructed and arranged to be engaged by said groove in said parallel-sided plunger when said center conductor is rigidly connected to said first outer conductor, and another portion of said slot extending from said one portion in the direction of said longitudinal movement of said flexible member being cut out in a keyhole shape to a size larger than the grooved end of said'parallelsided plunger to permit said grooved end to pass through said flexible connector and subsequently to engage said flexible conductor adjacent said slot when said flexible connector is moved longitudinally towards said second and third center conductors as it is being connected to said first outer conductor.

3. A coaxial relay comprising a first branch having a rigid metallic outer wall and a flexible metallic inner member having one end fixedly mechanically connected to said outer wall and electrically insulated therefrom, the other end of said flexible member being movable in a limited path in one plane, a pair of contact members affixed to said movable end and on opposite sides thereof, a second branch perpendicularly disposed to said first t branch including a rigid outer metallic wall which is an extension of the outer wall of said first branch and having a second coaxial center conductor extending toward one of said contact members and positioned to make connection therewith at one extremity of the path of travel of the movable end of said flexible member, a third branch perpendicularly disposed to said first branch and in line with said second branch including an outer metallic wall which is an extension of the outer wall of said first branch and having a third coaxial center member extending toward the other of said contact members and located to make connection therewith at the other extremity of the path of travel of the free end of said flexible member, the other end of said flexible member being rigidly connected to said outer conductor of said first branch by a coupling unit which provides means to permit longitudinal movement of said flexible member towards said second and third branch conductors while said coupling unit is being assembled, means to move said flexible member from one end of its path to the other, said means comprising a U-shaped magnetizable core structure having a base portion parallel with and affixed to said first branch and end portions extending substantially perpendicular therefrom, a magnetizable armature pivoted on one of said end portions and extending across the other of said end portions, a relay coil encircling said first branch and the base of said core structure for magnetizing said core structure and attracting said armature when said coil is energized, a spring external to said first branch to pull said armature in the opposite direction from that of said relay coil whereby said armature is biased from making contact with said other end of said core structure during periods when said coil is not energized, a parallel-sided plunger attached at one end to said armature to move therewith, said parallel-sided plunger having a groove near its other end, said other end of said parallel-sided plunger extending through the outer wall of said first branch, a keyhole-shaped aperture in said flexiblecmember, said aperture having an enlarged portion large enough for said other end of said parallel-sided plunger to pass through and having a slotted portion extending from said large portion, said slotted portion having an inner width great enough to encompass said groove near the end of said parallel-sided plunger'but smaller than said other end of said parallel-sided plunger whereby said parallel-sided plunger is prevented from being withdrawn from said aperture so that said flexible member moves in unison with said armature and is biased to one end of its path by said external spring and forced to the other end of its path by the magnetic force produced by said coil, and the larger portion of said keyhole-shaped aperture extending from said slotted portion in the direction of said longitudinal movement of said flexible member to permit said grooved end to pass through said flexible conductor and subsequently to engage said slotted portion of said flexible member when said flexible member is moved Dorne Dec. 9, 1947 Miller Feb. 5, 1952 .Wiberg Jan. 29, 1957 

